


And Socrates Had Questions [Meta]

by missingnolovefic



Series: Of Gods And Kings [2]
Category: Rooster Teeth/Achievement Hunter RPF
Genre: Author Commentary, Fic Meta, King!Ryan, M/M, Nonfiction, Originally Posted on Tumblr, god!Gavin
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-15
Updated: 2018-12-15
Packaged: 2019-09-19 15:09:05
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 20
Words: 5,116
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17003982
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/missingnolovefic/pseuds/missingnolovefic
Summary: Questions and answers and meta for And Socrates Asked





	1. Does Gavin Love Ryan?

**Author's Note:**

> Anonymous asked: How exactly would you define Gavin and Ryan's relationship in your newest fic? And given the usual portrayal of god/immortal!Gavin with his lack of concern or care for others, does your Gavin truly care about Ryan beyond the fact that he's something Gavin has been gifted? (27th January 2017)

Thank you for your interest <3 I’m not sure yet how much of this I’m gonna cover in the fic (considering it’s Jeremy-centric and more about developing their relationship with him) so I’m not sure if the following counts as spoilers? Continue at your own discretion :D

Okay, basically Ryan’s father had trouble conceiving heirs. He tried a lot of things (and many different wives, I’m kinda imagining it Henry VIII style except not *that* creepy) before he ended up praying and begging the gods for help.

All of which couldn’t care less about the concerns of a single mortal, except, as it so often is in mythology, the trickster god.

Gavin called in some favours in a round-a-bout way and tricked some mortals and fellow gods in the traditions of all great tricksters. What it boils down to is that a heir was born to the king by a goddess. Which makes Ryan a demigod. Which in turn means he’ll cast off his mortality at some point and join Gavin as his husband.

Having the child as his companion was the price Gavin asked for. The king mistook that as a betrothal contract, which honestly Gavin is polyamorous. He’d have interepreted the deal however he saw fit, except then Ryan grew up (regularly visited by a curious Gavin) and they totally fell in love.

The lack of concern and care will play a bigger part in the upcoming chapter, though related to Jeremy rather than Ryan.

Gavin really cares for Ryan though and takes his wishes into account. If he didn’t he’d have wed Ryan the moment he became of age and forcefully kept him by his side. There’s a few hints in the chapter, and probably will be in the upcoming ones, too, of how much Gavin indulges Ryan and his, to him, weird life goals.

(See: Ryan having a “heir and what-not” before consuming their marriage. Ryan has some kingdom-related stuff to deal with and wants to leave it in good hands, and Gavin has no problem waiting for him, even though he *does* grow bored. Enter Jeremy.)

 **TL;DR** Gavin totally has a problem with treating mortals with care, but his and Ryan’s marriage will be one of love.


	2. How Ryan met Gavin

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Anonymous asked: What was the first meeting between Ryan and Gavin like? And on that same train of thought, has Ryan ever been scared of Gavin (his power, his unpredictability, etc.)? (27th January 2017)

Take everything I say right now with a grain of salt, because the fic isn’t finished yet and I keep changing tidbits as I come up with ones I like better :D

That said, the first time Gavin met Ryan was at the baby’s birth. He was there to seal the deal with his magic.

The first time Ryan met Gavin, he was about four years old. Gavin appeared to him as a slightly older human child, and they went on adventures within the castle and the royal gardens every now and then.

In a deep, subconscious way Ryan always knew that Gavin was special, different. The way he acted and talked, it never seemed quite _human_.

The first time Ryan met Gavin after knowing he was the Golden Fool, Trickster God of Chaos, Liars, Thieves and Lost Souls, Ryan was maybe 14, 15 years old. That’s when he confronted his father about the rumours going around that the Queen wasn’t his mother and the king spilled the beans.

The first thing Ryan did was establish firm rules based on his knowledge of tricksters and deals with them (because Ryan is a total nerd who likes to read books in his free time). Gavin was amused and willing to indulge him, having spend a lot of time together as children and growing to care for him.

There have been times when Ryan grows frustrated with Gavin’s lack of care towards mortal lives, but it’s never been related to Ryan’s well-being. He knows Gavin thinks differently as an immortal and recognizes some of those traits in himself as well, as a demigod. Ryan tries to compensate by taking extra good care of his citizens, but a lot of petty squabbles get on his nerves quickly, and he has a tendency towards “cruel” decisions because they seem the most efficient to him, and he doesn’t quite get why he should care.

Once Jeremy is established in their relationship, he helps a lot anchoring Ryan in his humanity and helping him understand his people. Gavin still doesn’t really get it, but he starts toeing the line more mindfully, in true trickster fashion.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> #I am really hype about the chapter titles i can't wait to finish the story just for that


	3. A Divine Courtship

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Anonymous asked: How is Gavin as a "suitor," and what are some silly human things he doesn't quite understand

The thing is, Gavin never really courted Ryan? Ryan always assumed they were betrothed, as that is what his father told him. He accepted that pretty easily, since he grew up in the knowledge that as heir he had to marry politically advantageous and not out of love. He worried about how he should have heirs for a while, but considering his own birth, he assumed it wouldn’t be that much of a problem.

The court and the people generally don’t know of the circumstances, since the crown covered up Ryan’s birth. There were rumours of course since the Queen wasn’t obviously pregnant until Ryan’s sudden appearance, but that’s just your every day gossip. Only a few select old advisors still know.

People who see them in public tend to assume Gavin is the king’s secret slash mysterious male lover.

 

* * *

 

There’s a lot of stuff Gavin doesn’t really get, though his curious nature often leads to him exploring new inventions. The social etiquette and beliefs are harder for him. There’s two major ones, though:

Death. The fear of, and the mortality itself, are two concepts Gavin really can’t wrap his head around. It’s how a lot of his companions died in unfortunate accidents: Gavin didn’t even consider the situation or activity dangerous because he himself is an immortal. It’s a thoughtless lack of care, and in the grand scheme of things mortal lives are just a short moment to him. He doesn’t really get the difference between dying young and dying old because his conception of time spans ages.

And wow that got dark quickly, sorry for that.

The other thing is monogamy. Gavin really doesn’t get it. Aside from being polyamorous himself, he doesn’t get how mortals conflate love and sex. For him, sex is a fun activity he indulges in when bored. Sex with Ryan is different because it’s more about the intimacy and “relationship grooming”. Like, he loves Ryan, but sex is just one of the fun activities to do with him.

They’ve talked about it, and Ryan knows Gavin has sex with some of his monthly companions. Ryan doesn’t care about it one way or the other because he recognizes the difference in how Gavin behaves towards someone he wants to sleep with vs. Ryan who he loves and cares for and respects.

It also makes it easier for Ryan to marry some noblewoman to have heirs with, since jealousy isn’t really a thing for Gavin.

Of course, there’s also some silly minor things Gavin (sometimes purposefully) misunderstands. He loves riling up the nobles of Ryan’s court and playing pranks on everyone within the castle. He got up to a lot of mischief until Ryan put his foot down and started finding him companions to keep him occupied.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> #thank you for all these questions this has been fun :D #just imagine Gavin getting up to trickster pranks #pointing out uncomfortable truths by playing ignorant or naive #complimenting the nobles on stuff they're good atbut like things that are a bit taboo #'congratulations on your cocksucking abilities good sir' #'oh wise choice in poison #that's a tricky one'


	4. What Does Gavin Do In His Free Time?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Anonymous asked: Does Gavin ever leave his little room (which I assume he took residence in upon Ryan taking the crown, possibly hoping "holy shit is it time for good and lovely things yet??")

Gavin doesn’t actually spend much time in that room, unless he’s sexing up his latest companion :D (poor Jeremy). It’s designed adjacent to his altar and he rarely gets visitors other than Ryan and current companions. If he’s companionless he’s actually more likely to just show up in Ryan’s chambers instead.

The thing to remember is: Gavin’s a god. He can teleport and shapeshift, of a sort. The various gods have different abilities, but Gavin’s are pretty trickster-inspired. Just think Loki.

When he has a companion he likes to go out on adventures, usually within the kingdom but not always. He’s bad at remembering the actual borders. Land is land, what do you mean this one belongs to other mortals? Silly humans.

Sometimes he disguises himself, stirs up trouble in Ryan’s court or wanders through the cities and towns, helping out or playing tricks as he fancies in that particular moment.

And then he spends a lot of time in other realities. Imagine a Mount Olymp equivalent, just as a different “godly” dimension.

Also, fun fact: I’ve tagged Michael on Ao3 for a reason. He shows up next chapter :D May the speculation begin!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> #i am neither denying nor confirming anything about michael #just a heads up


	5. Gavin's Perspective On Mortals

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Anonymous asked: How does Gavin view humans

Unless he’s personally invested in them or their important to people he cares about, they’re kinda just there?

I mean, the gods’ depend on their worshippers for their powers, so they tend to take care in a manner of their followers. But human conflicts tend to be non-concerns for the gods so they usually don’t intervene unless they can get something out of it.

Gavin is one of the most likely to respond to prayers, but you have to be careful what you wish for because he’s a trickster. He likes to take your words out of context, spin them in a way he thinks is right or misinterpret them on purpose to cause chaos and mischief.

Ryan’s father he really got off easy, and that only because Gavin fell in love with Ryan.

He doesn’t spend much thought on humans otherwise. Their lifespans are small and they concern themselves with material wealth and survival, neither of which is really anything Gavin cares much about. Unless they fall into his domain, and then it’s more of a bragging rights thing: taking care of his charges means he gains more followers means he can tell the other gods to suck it because he’s Good at doing his Job.

 

#i guess you could say he sees mortals as lesser lifeforms? #but in a sort of symbiotic way #they are the source of his powers so in return he takes care of the ones falling into his domain #which is most importantly thieves; lost souls and orphans


	6. Miscommunication About Marriage

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Anonymous asked: How did Gavin take the whole "I don't wanna get married yet I got shit to do first" thing (28th January 2017)

Honestly, first they had to sort out that, yes, Ryan is still gonna join him later and hold up his end of the deal, chill out Gavin.

He kinda freaked out, because the deal was sealed and the magic demands a price that fits the parameters of the wording. So between trying to find a loophole to get Ryan out of the deal (since Gavin loves him and doesn’t want to force him into this and well, doesn’t that perfectly demonstrate his carelessness with humans he doesn’t care about vs. those he does?) and feeling heartbroken because he thinks Ryan _broke up with him_ , Gavin was quite shaken.

It took Ryan a while to realize there’d been a misunderstanding because he himself had been quite nervous making that request.

After many promises and communicating their needs and expectations, Gavin was quite relaxed about the whole thing. Sure, he doesn’t really get why Ryan wants to spend time on fixing his kingdom and preparing them for his leaving, but time is such a small matter in the grand scheme of things. They have eternity to spend together, and Gavin respects Ryan’s wishes.

Things will be a bit more iffy with Jeremy because he’s mortal *wink wink nudge nudge*


	7. How Does Gavin React To A Hurt Ryan?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Anonymous asked: In the event Ryan gets injured (failed assassination, angsty things, etc.) and is put on bed rest, how would Gavin react? Despite that ultimately he'd end up with Ryan regardless. (29th January 2017)

Gavin would absolutely panic and lash out.

See, the thing about Ryan being a demigod is, he can still die. It’s a lot harder to kill him, but to achieve immortality there’s a specific wedding ritual he needs to do with Gavin. So while most weaker poisons will result in a mild illness and irritation at most, life-threatening stab wounds are still very dangerous. Fast-working poisons are slowed down and Ryan has a chance to survive them if given the antidote in time.

Gavin is really not a fan of anyone planning to kill his betrothed. Nor is he particularly happy with Ryan joining the front during wars.

He didn’t really pay it much thought, at first, because thinking of what makes someone mortal is not something Gavin usually has to worry about. And Ryan is good at telling him no before they get into the kind of trouble Gavin tends to talk his companions into that result in death. So the first time an assassin actually gets close enough that Ryan ends up with a knife in his side and has to rest to recuparate?

Gavin hovers. He eyes all visitors - from servants, healer and advisors - with suspicion, and anything that could be used as a weapon at all vanishes mysteriously from the room. When Ryan starts recovering and Gavin is assured of his safety within his chambers, he goes on a disguised hunting trip, trying to snif out the one who paid the assassin and any others plotting against his future husband.

Poison is different, especially the life-threatening kind. It hasn’t happened yet, but Gavin would likely go on a rampage through the lands trying to find the antidote, calling in favors from the other gods left and right until he could be *sure* Ryan survives long enough.

And every time Ryan has an experience that reminds Gavin of his mortality he’ll start badgering him about finishing up his mortal business and get married already.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> #yeah I'm still trying to work this part out in my head so sorry if the demigod status thing is vague #it's not really relevant to the story so I haven't really needed to pin it down yet xD


	8. Gifts Between Ryan and Gavin

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Anonymous asked: Has Gavin ever brought Ryan gifts? And vise versa?

You, my friend, ask hard questions. You wouldn’t think it, but this one has me stumped.

I mean, obviously yes? They’ve gifted each other knick knacks that reminded them of the other or they thought they would like, and I’m sure at some point there was an exchange of betrothal jewelry in a “promise ring” way-

Ohhhh, I suppose that Ryan’s brooch is totally that betrothal promise jewelry thing. I wrote it as a symbol Ryan wears that Jeremy mistakes for his worship of the Golden Fool at first but is actually like him showing off their connection. It’s totally an engagement brooch.

Yup.

Otherwise, I haven’t given it much thought? I’m gonna assume that Gavin brings the weirdest things because he has no idea of what is appropriate. It can be harmless stuff like books (he saw Ryan with his nose stuck in one often enough to know how much he loves reading) but the topics and rarity vary. Other times it’s otherwordly or foreign fruits from his trips.

And obviously Ryan is sort of “gifting” those companions to Gavin to relieve him from his boredom, ulterior motives aside. And the altar was originally built by his father in a bid to gain favor with Gavin, but it’s current level of decoration and the adjacent chamber were additions made by Ryan. He’d wave it off as “necessities” and “easier access” and “convenience” but those were totally gifts.

So huh. I do seem have to some opinions on this after all. If anyone wants to add ideas, I’m totally open to speculating on this :D


	9. Gavin's Former Companions

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Anonymous asked: Bless you, I love this Golden Fool story and I can't wait to see where it is going to go. Is Jeremy going to learn the particulars about what happened to companions before him or would he rather not think about it?

No details, even if Jeremy gets kinda morbidly curious about it :D

He can vividly imagine how they died, though, or were burned out after trying to keep up with Gavin’s careless adventuring for a month. Imagine fahc!Gavin’s fanon tendency to start barfights and have others finish them for him, and apply that to this verse. Gavin _loves_ pissing people off and then foisting the problem onto someone else to deal with, if only for comedic value.

Gavin’s bored and humans are fascinating. They show so much more different and colourful facets when driven into a corner. The problem is, Gavin has no idea where to draw the line. He pushes and pushes and causes chaos all the while.

And, without trying to spoil anything, Jeremy is *very very bad* at telling Gavin no. ;)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> #i am excited about all this interest! #I'm hoping to have the next chapter up by next weekend at the latest #but no promises <3


	10. Can Ryan Die?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Anonymous asked: Can Ryan be affected by mortal illness? And if so, has Gavin misinterpreted this as Ryan dying?

I’m gonna go with, affected yes, but in the way that his immune system is a lot sturdier and thus deals with it easier than mortals. His inherent godly blood, which is what allows him to become immortal later, is a lot better at fighting viruses and aggressive bacteria.

Ryan also regenerates cells at a higher level, and it hasn’t stopped in his twenties (so basically, he seems to be aging gracefully, or staying incredibly young-looking depending on how long he lives out his mortal life. He could probably never pass for an old man, though)

Gavin has no concept about what is normal for mortals - illness and diseases are *not* his area of expertise. He bothered the gods who are, though, and pestered the healers and double checked in Ryan’s library. Gavin is very skeptical about this sick business.

Ryan was totally exasperated that he would not just take Ryan’s word for it, but it kept him busy and gave Ryan a break to rest.

 

#i am really not gonna think about when jeremy joins them #and stays mortal #because that way lie dark thoughts #the fic will end happy and they'll live happily ever after #for as long as they 'live' #aaaaaaaand gonna stop there lol


	11. Saving A Life

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Anonymous asked: Has Gavin ever saved Ryan's life? (30th January 2017)

I’m sorry, anon, I’ve been trying to work this out for a day now but. I got nothing.

Like, obviously this is a fab plot idea! And I’d love to read it, if anyone can come up with something and wants to play in my sandbox. (Generally, anyone wanna borrow something from one of my stories or set their fic in one of my verses, as long as you send me a link so I can read it and maybe mention the inspired by thing, I’m cool with it :D)

The problem is, I don’t think it happened pre-ASA, or their relationship in ASA would be different than I’m currently writing them. And while it might happen post-ASA, it’s really an entire new story.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> seriously if anyone wants to do something with this, it's up for grabs - as long as you use the inspired by feature here on Ao3 <3


	12. Love At, like, 50th Sight

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Anonymous asked: During the time where Ryan was approaching the age of being wed did Gavin increase his efforts to woo him.

Ryan was growing up fast, and Gavin - having a terrible sense of time, being immortal and all - looks at him one day and realizes he’s coming off age soon. They have a weird sort of friendship by this point - ever since Ryan confronted him about being a God and the deal he made with his father. Gavin is amusedly indulging the rules Ryan lined out for him.

And Ryan is growing up to be an attractive man, and Gavin is kinda blindsided by that. One day he turns to tease the boy he knows and sees a man he finds himself attracted to.

Gavin is not someone to deny himself, and he kisses Ryan, playing it off as a jest. ‘Getting him used to it’, ‘paying it forward’, and Ryan blushes beautifully. Gavin never presses further, he’s not into unwilling partners no matter how pretty a face. He doesn’t have to, though - because Ryan is curious himself, discovering his own attraction and well, Gavin is a safe test subject isn’t he? His future husband.

Though he does kiss a maid and a stableboy and fools around with one of the other nobles in Gavin’s absence. Never more than once, but to figure himself out.

Gavin doesn’t mind, even when he finds out. He’s not the jealous type (they’re nowhere close to competition anyway), and even if Ryan were to like one of them, Gavin has lead a polyamorous life for a long time, it’s a familiar situation for him.

But back to your question: there’s not so much courting and wooing as increasing banter and flirting, stolen kisses and breathless laughter. Because due to the contract, Ryan is sure to stay by Gavin’s side so he never has to worry about him leaving. How their relationship pans out and developes, that’s something else, something their exploring on their own terms and in time.

Except then Ryan approaches him with his request, and Gavin freaks out because he thinks they’re breaking up…


	13. Gavin's Favourite Thing About Ryan

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Anonymous asked: What does Gavin love most about his little king

That depends on who asks him :3

If any of the court asks, Gavin will make a lewd gesture and a dick joke.

If one of the other gods asks, he’ll bluster and blubber and ramble until they either stare him into silence or give up with hands thrown up in exasperation.

If Gavin were honest, he couldn’t really say. The smell of old books, the taste of wine, the warmth of fire as they lie in front of the fireplace. The way the sun spins Ryan’s hair into gold, and the way his eyes go icy cold in anger. His cunning, the way he stumbles over words, the quiet breath in the middle of the night.

The thing is, Gavin loves Ryan as he is, with all his flaws and all his strengths. All of the facets that make Ryan _Ryan_ fascinate and compel him.

Jeremy asked once, and Gavin got really quiet. He told him of walks through the castle gardens, of long afternoons hiding in the library. Of nights spend stargazing, and of intertwined fingers. Of majestic court session and Ryan in full regalia. Of the days after the war, when Ryan returned victorious but wounded and Gavin actually learned how to take proper care of mortal wounds.

Michael never asks, but Gavin will go on and on about the virtues of Ryan’s body and skills in bed regardless, much to Michael’s dismay.


	14. Poem

 

Among gods and kings  
And much darker things  
Walks but a man

 

A mortal led astray  
A mortal who would not pray  
To any of the gods for relief  
Or beg the kings to retrieve  
His life from carelessly cruel hands

 

Among kings and gods  
And against all odds  
Walks but a man

 


	15. Gavin's Habits

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Anonymous asked: Does Gavin have incredibly bizarre habits (according to Ryan, at least)? (13th February 2017)

I’m sorry, anon, I know I kept you waiting a long time, but I’m just. I have honestly no idea?

My world building concentrated a lot on the mortal world, since that’s where the story unfolds, and I don’t intend to keep it going until Jeremy dies and Ryan joins the pantheon (because it makes me sad). So I haven’t given the pantheon and their realm much thought? Except for a little spoiler for the next chapter, which I’m gonna keep mum on.

What I know is: the pantheon is free from human made social restrictions, so race and sex and sexuality and gender are a lot more equal and fluid. It’s all very relaxed until you piss one of them off? They’re an odd bunch.

So I guess Ryan would find Gavin’s limits weird - would expect them where they are not, and sometimes stumbles across one that he hadn’t expected. But the truth is, they grew up together and Ryan kinda got used to Gavin’s quirks.

Now, Jeremy on the other hand…


	16. Jeremy's Backstory

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Anonymous asked: I am very interested in hearing Jeremy's backstory 💙 (20th February 2017)

Well, what do you want to know? :D

So far, we know a few things about Jeremy for sure:

  1. been in the army since he could pass as old enough to enlist
  2. he’s been in the army for seven years at this point
  3. he lacks proper lineage or backing of a noble sponsor because he’s an orphan (and doesn’t know any of his family if he has them)
  4. all he wants from life is a warm meal per day and a roof over his head
  5. while he has friends in the army (Matt) no one would ask after him if he suddenly disappeared
  6. he recognizes Gavin’s symbol bc “he’d gotten into the habit of looking for [it] in his youth”
  7. over his short life he’s come to terms with the fact that the higher ranks consider him canon fodder basically
  8. he’s utterly loyal to the king and defers to Ryan even over Gavin’s protest
  9. he has a hopeless crush on Gavin and can’t say no to him
  10. he wrestled a wolf. I feel like this is an accomplishment deserving of more praise.



Jeremy grew up in the streets ever since he can remember. At a younger age, he was dependant on the kindness of strangers, on merchants’ heart softening to a cute face and the other homeless teaching him to survive. But he grew out of that cute phase quickly, and backstabbing was tradition among streetrats.

He became a thief out of necessary, joined one thieves guild or another, depending on who would have him and who he could afford to swear allegiance to temporarily. He knows the Golden Fool mostly from this time, because he’s the God of thieves, orphans and lost souls.

And all that time he trained hard, mostly with a rusty knife and sticks. He tried enlisting with the army every season, and they turned him away multiple times. He was lanky and small for his age due to malnutrition. So he started bulking up, to better intimidate the other street residents to leave him alone, and to pass muster and pretend to be older than he was.

He finally joined the army when he was around 15, not that anyone knows his exact age. Two years younger than most recruits.

 

#i hope that sheds a little more light on jeremy's background :D #if you think about it jeremy's life is pretty sad #and now he nearly died #a lot


	17. The Pantheon of Gods

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> lunarlover12 asked: So if Gavin is the god of thieves, lost souls, and orphans.. What would the other guys be gods of? Or are they human? (2nd July 2017)

So far, I’ve only confirmed Matt as a fellow soldier (probably from a merchant family, like, not quite rich but well-off enough that they send their youngest son to the army for prestige more than any other concerns, and enough that he knows a lot of court etiquette).

We also have Michael, who is Mogar, God of Wars, Soldiers and Bears. Basically xD He shows up again in the next chapter, and he’s friends with Gavin. Very exasperated friends at the moment.

Next chapter, Burnie shows up, too, as the Captain of the Guard.

Geoff is a god à la Dionysos, a god of Wine, Parties and Fertility. I’m assuming that Griffon is something badass like maybe Artemis, Goddess of the Hunt, Forest and Archers. She sort of co-raised Gavin with Geoff, as much as that’s a thing with gods. Tbh, I haven’t given the rest of the pantheon much thought because I didn’t want to assign anyone roles I might later regret because I need them for something else, or because it’s not really important for the story I’m telling :D

(So, feel free to imagine them as you like within this vast world.)


	18. Gavin and the other Gods

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Anonymous asked: How do the other gods interact? Are there any who dislike Gavin? And how did Michael and Gavin meet/become friends? (3rd July 2017)

In Socrates, the gods live in an alternate dimension (where Ryan summons Gavin from in chapter 1, to be precise). They spend most of their time there, unless they’re interfering with the mortal realm. Like Mogar, for example, as he visited the bear cubs and saw Jeremy (whom he assumed was a poacher so he attacked).

Gavin is really an exception, he only spends as much time in the mortal realm as he does because he wants to be close to Ryan. It’s easy to lose track of time in the godly dimension because they don’t really have that concept as immortals. He realized that early on, when he visited Ryan as a kid and the next time he was twice as big and a lot older. He didn’t care much back then, but he certainly does now.

The pantheon is very similar to the soap opera you’d see in greek or egyptian mythology: lots of drama all around. So yeah, Gavin has a couple enemies, friends and people who owe him debts and favours. It changes, depending on who needs what and which services.

I haven’t really thought much about Michael and Gavin’s youth, but they were born in the same era, and all the deities know each other. So their meeting was inevitable. Probably the first time Michael actually took note of Gavin though was when he tricked a king or something and accidentally caused a war, since his actions directly led to something in Michael’s domain.

They’re good friends, though. Michael tolerates and is amused by Gavin’s antics, and Gavin is impressed by his strength and respects his deep connection with his patron animal, something other deities tend to tease Michael about.


	19. Ask Meme

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> lunarlover12 asked: 11 & 12 for Socrates? (11th September 2017)

**11: What do you like best about this fic?**

The unique dynamic that developed due to the fact that Gavin is an immortal god, Ryan a demi-god king and Jeremy an average human, I think. Gavin’s character developement especially was a lot of fun, which is why it’s one of the central themes of the story xD Ryan and Jeremy have their own issues to deal with and relationship to work on, but I keep coming back to Gavin’s characterization. He’s fun to mess with.

 

**12: What do you like least about this fic?**

The lack of over-arching plot. The original plot is gonna make an appearance in the last chapter, whenever I get around to finishing that, but it feels more like an after-thought/tacked on at this point. I love that I got to explore the budding relationships and dynamics, and they needed to be set up first before I could really delve into anything, but it also kinda bothers me xD”


	20. Potential Rewrite/Remix of Socrates?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Anonymous asked: I find it really interesting that you've brought up And Socrates Asked a few times now as a piece that you would revisit or rewrite, and not being completely happy with. I say that as it is probably one of my most revisited stories that I have downloaded to my phone. I adore all the characterisations, and the way you worked in Michael as Mogar. I fucking love Jeremy in this (and this is pretty unusual for me). I adore the whole plot line as well. I guess it just shows how opinions can differ :) (26th November 2018)

Awww, thank you anon <3 that is really lovely and heartening to hear.

I just want to clarify: whenever I talk about stories I would like to redo, stories I’m no longer happy with, that’s not because it’s necessarily a bad story. And there’s much of ASA that I still love. I’ve just progressed in my writing to the point where I can see the weak parts and those are bothering me to where I can say “you know, given the opportunity and time and not having new ideas I need to write first, I’d tackle this again”.

And that’s because I love something about the story. I find it really interesting that you point out characterisations here, because that’s probably the strongest part of ASA from my point of view: I focussed a lot on the relationship developement (partially because that was the writing skill I was struggling with at that point in time).

The reason I would like to rewrite ASA is because I find it’s plot structure weak; I had no clear goal in mind or even a plot thread aside from the basic concept and a vague idea of a kidnapping that even in hindsight feels kinda shoehorned into the end. It’s very much a story of cinematic scenes stitched together, I feel, that could benefit from some more structure, setup and payoff.

It’d also become an inevitably much longer story than as is, with new added subplots and potentially more cameos. Which… I love the idea of going back and fleshing out that world, but also I’ve got several 20-50k stories waiting to be written that I wanna share first, because in the end I already shared the story of ASA once.

I still think it’s one of the most likely stories I’d go back to to rewrite - I wouldn’t delete the old one, just add a new one as a remix, I suppose. And that’s because I love the concept and the idea behind it and can see the most potential in it from all the old stories I’m unhappy with :D

(Sorry for rambling :’D and thank you for the compliment <3 people re-reading my stories always gives me butterflies)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If I do end up making a rewrite/remix it's gonna be added to this series as a new work, and the old one will remain, no worries <3


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